New data on the competition between definites and indefinites

Abstract

In this paper, we report on four experiments investigating obligatory presupposition effects. Specifically, we look at the inferences arising from not using presupposition triggers when their use is supported by the context. We compare these inferences and the contextual factors for their derivation to presuppositions and implicatures. Extending previous work, we explore not only the English definite determiner "the" but also the dual "both" and their respective competition with the universal quantifiers "every" and "all".